Pursuit
by me you and kaoru
Summary: Chapter 8 is up! Please R/R! Or I will make more characters die.... Mwahaha!
1. Escape

Pursuit  
By Yukira (Yuki-chan)  
  
Author's Notes: Hmm, my fourth DW fanfic! Yeah! (Everyone's probably thinking: Stupid immature author, writing three fanfics or more at a time.) This story will be different from all my other fanfics. It's about Sun Ruan Er, Zhao Yun's wife in real life. And it will be written from Sun Ruan's point of view, third person POV, and Zhao Yun's POV eventually.  
  
*~~~~*~~~~*  
  
There's gossip around the village. Usually, I don't really trust gossip at all, but this time, it's going a little too far.  
  
My husband-to-be, Zhao Yun, and I are to be married tomorrow morning.  
  
The village gossip circulates that Zhao Yun is having an affair with another woman. I know that Zilong is loyal, but the talk is spreading fast, and all of the clues point in the right direction.  
  
The other night, Zhao Zilong arrived home late last night. Now this is very unusual. Zhao Yun was very punctual when I first met him. He claims to have had a few drinks with his fellow officers but I found a long brown hair stuck to his shirt. This couldn't have been mine, because my hair is short and black.  
  
And then, a female officer arrived at Zhao Yun's house while I was there alone and asked me if Zhao Yun was there. Another clue. The other thing is that when I confronted him about it later, he yelled at me. He's never done that before.  
  
He also refuses to spend time with me and stays outside his home for long hours. The only time I get to see him now is when he is asleep.  
  
I cannot bear this humiliation any longer. The women and children of the village alike stare at me with a look of pity. The other thing is, Zhao Zilong has not heard the gossip himself. The only thing I can do is escape.  
  
Now I begin to pack. Inside a small bag are some clothes, consisting of a jade green cheongsam, silk robes, and undergarments. I also carry some money around.  
  
As I mount one of the horses in the stable, I decide that maybe I could serve in the army, for a different kingdom, with a complete new name and alibi. I could. Maybe I could serve in the Wu Kingdom.  
  
What ever I chose, it would not end in me returning here. As I grab one of Zilong's swords, I whisper a silent farewell to the village, the one who I loved and who I thought loved me back, and the future that could've happened.  
  
Riding at full speed, tears fill my eyes but I brush them away, never looking back.  
  
*~~~~*~~~~* (third person POV)  
  
Sun Ruan, a woman wearing a white cheongsam, stopped her horse in the middle of another village, and began to look around. The village was quiet. It was almost dark outside. Sun began to look for a hotel. A woman walked outside of her dwelling and greeted Sun.  
  
"Hello. You are not from around here, are you?" asked the woman.  
  
Sun brushed a strand of hair out of her face. "Am I still in the city of Chang'an?"  
  
"No," replied the woman. "You are in a part of Chengdu."  
  
"Great." Thought Sun Ruan. "Just where Zhao Yun can find me."  
  
"Is something wrong?" asked the woman.  
  
"No," said Sun walking towards her horse, "I'd better go."  
  
The woman patted Sun on the shoulder. "You can stay at my home overnight, if you'd like to."  
  
Sun smiled and followed the woman into her home, taking her bag and leaving her horse outside.  
  
The woman gave Sun Ruan a bowl of noodles and a cup of water.  
  
"So," she asked. "Where are you headed?"  
  
Sun began to eat from the bowl and paused. "I'm just a wanderer. I plan to visit Jian Ye."  
  
The woman nodded. "What is your name?"  
  
Sun hesitated and thought. If she told the woman her real name, she would probably tell Zhao Yun.and then.  
  
"My name is Mai Li."  
  
The woman walked outside to feed Sun's horse and walked back in. "Mai Li, what a beautiful name. My name is Ling Pei."  
  
When Sun Ruan, or Mai Li, finished eating, she began to help Ling Pei with her house chores. After a while, screams were heard outside the house. Sun Ruan and Ling Pei looked out of the door to see a group of bandits terrorizing the civilians.  
  
The leader of the bandits turned around to see Sun glaring at him with a look of hatred. He dismounted and ran towards her. Sun Ruan ran to her horse and pulled Zhao Yun's sword out of its sheath. The bandit leader pulled out his own sword and Sun was ready to fight.  
  
Zhao Yun made sure that Sun Ruan never joined or fought for the Shu army. Sun had never fought before, but she would watch Zhao Yun training for battle and eventually learned from him.  
  
A feeling of sadness overwhelmed Sun and she wasn't sure if she could find the strength to fight him. But something commanded her to fight.  
  
The bandit leader ran towards her and jumped in the air, raising his sword, preparing to immediately kill her with one strike to the neck.  
  
Sun Ruan blocked his attack and kicked him away. He charged towards her again. Sun sidestepped his attack and struck him from behind. The blade sliced through his armor and severed his spinal cord. That was when Sun realized that the weapon she was holding was not just an ordinary sword.  
  
The rest of the bandits, surprised that their leader was slaughtered ran off.  
  
Sun examined her sword. It was now covered in blood. The hilt was a beautiful jade green color and the engravings on the sword read, "Jade Dragon".  
  
"What a peculiar name for a sword."thought Sun Ruan.  
  
The villagers ran over to Sun and thanked her. Sun, overwhelmed with pride, walked back into Ling Pei's house.  
  
Ling Pei was frightened. "Are you okay?"  
  
Sun Ruan looked at her cheongsam. It was stained with crimson blood that belonged to the bandit leader, but she didn't care.  
  
"I'm alright."  
  
That night, Sun Ruan slept on a sleeping mat. She woke up in the middle of the night, calling out Zhao Yun's name, but she then realized that she was in Ling Pei's home, and away from her betrayer.  
  
When Sun Ruan finally awoke, Ling Pei saw her and handed her a stack of beautiful clothes.  
  
"For you," explained Ling Pei, "They're from me and the village people to express our thanks."  
  
"Thank you." Answered Sun.  
  
After eating breakfast that Ling Pei prepared, Sun got up and hugged her. "Thank you for all that you have done for me. I must leave now."  
  
As Sun Ruan mounted her horse, a messenger entered the village.  
  
"General Zhao Yun's wife, Sun Ruan Er, is missing! Start searching for her!" yelled the messenger.  
  
"What does she look like?" asked a village woman.  
  
The messenger began looking at the rest of the scroll, and then he saw Sun riding off. "Wait! That woman over there is Sun Ruan!"  
  
"Damnit! Stupid messenger." thought Sun, riding away into the forest.  
  
Behind her, several of Liu Bei's men were chasing her on horseback.  
  
Sun rode as fast as she could through the forest, dodging tree branches and maneuvering around the trees.  
  
One of Liu Bei's men shouted to her. "Sun Ruan Er! Stop! By defying our orders, you are defying the orders of Lord Liu Bei!"  
  
Sun grabbed several rocks and hurled them at the men, knocking them out.  
  
Sun continued to ride through the forest. "Who cares if I'm gone?" she thought. "No one cares. I don't either. I'm going to start a new life, starting today!"  
  
*~~~~*~~~~*  
  
So how was it? Good? Bad? Both!? WHAT IS IT, HUH!?  
  
Um, anyways, Please review! And suggestions are nice, y'know.  
  
It's kind of boring so far but keep reading (and reviewing)!  
  
Oyasumi Nasai! *goes to sleep* 


	2. Which road?

Pursuit  
By Yukira Tsurama  
Chapter 2 Disclaimer: I do not own the characters, haha.  
  
Author's Notes: Well, here is chapter 2. After being extremely deranged for a while now, I think I returned back to normal.no, not really. Thank you's for: BennyC, Malz, Black Phoenix, lacitar13, Sea-Blue Dragon, and Reika for reviewing.  
  
Oh! And by the way: Sun Ruan Er is NOT a made up character. She existed in history as, well, Zhao Yun's wife. Nyah!  
  
*~~~~*~~~~*  
  
Sun Ruan continued to dodge the branches and trees that came her way. Suddenly, she was in another town.  
  
Sun looked around and finally entered a restaurant, leaving her horse outside.  
  
A small waitress wearing an apron escorted her to a table.  
  
"What would you like to eat?" asked the small girl.  
  
Sun hesitated. "Well, I just want dim sum and some tea."  
  
The restaurant was a pleasant one. There were paintings of mountains and paths on the wall.  
  
"I wonder where I'll go." Thought Sun Ruan. "I guess maybe I should go to Xu Chang instead. Ling Pei probably told the guards that I'm headed off to Jian Ye."  
  
*At Ling Pei's home*  
  
The messenger and a few of Liu Bei's men sat across from Ling.  
  
"Where is Sun Ruan Er headed to?" one of them asked.  
  
Ling Pei thought for a while. "If I tell them that Sun went to Jian Ye, she'll be in trouble! I'd better say Xu Chang."  
  
"Uh, she's headed for the Wei capital Xu Chang." She answered promptly.  
  
The messenger and his men left Ling's house and continued on their way back to Liu Bei.  
  
*Back to the Restaurant*  
  
Minutes later, the small girl started to carry over a pot of tea, but she dropped it accidentally. Sun Ruan walked over to help her.  
  
"Thank you." Said the girl.  
  
"Um, do you know how I could get to Xu Chang?" asked Sun Ruan, picking up the shards of the broken tea pot.  
  
The girl stared at Sun. "You didn't know? This town is famous for having the path to Xu Chang on the left side and Jian Ye on the right."  
  
"Oh. I didn't know."  
  
The girl proceeded to bring over another pot of tea then spoke to Sun. "Where are you from?"  
  
"Uh, actually, I just got here from.Chengdu!" answered Sun.  
  
"Interesting."  
  
The girl returned to the kitchen and brought out a small platter of shrimp dumplings, pork buns, and a portion of roasted duck.  
  
Sun Ruan began to eat the food and took sips of tea every few minutes. When she was engaged to Zhao Yun, she felt as if she was in captivity, but she had been very much in love. Now, she felt free with nothing holding her back. The feeling was amazing.  
  
Suddenly, the guards that she had knocked out in the forest kicked the door to the restaurant open.  
  
"There she is!" shouted a guard pointing at Sun Ruan. "After her!"  
  
Sun left some money on her table and ran out the door past the guards. Quickly mounting her horse and riding away, she could hear the guards yelling from behind her.  
  
The guards were now mounting their horses and Sun forgot which path to take.  
  
"Damnit! Which one? Left or right?" Sun thought.  
  
Behind her, the guards were catching up fast.  
  
And then she remembered! "Left is Xu Chang!" she said aloud happily.  
  
Sun Ruan sped off, leaving the guards behind.  
  
The path that Sun was riding on was a wide dirt road. There were rocks, trees, and bushes to the right and left of her.  
  
Sun continued to follow the path. In a way, the path reminded her of her own journey through life. At first, the road was straight, never turning. Then, it started to curve and bend wildly.  
  
Sun Ruan rode until the sun began to set. Then, she stopped her horse next to a small river and fell asleep.  
  
*Daylight, Liu Bei's conference room*  
  
Zhao Yun sat in his seat, staring at Zhuge Liang's hat.  
  
Suddenly, the messenger and the two guards ran into the room.  
  
Kneeling to Liu Bei, the messenger spoke. "Lord Liu Bei! Sun Ruan Er is headed for Xu Chang!"  
  
Zhuge Liang, Jiang Wei, Ma Chao, Liu Bei, Guan Yu, Zhang Fei, and Yue Ying gasped.  
  
"She won't last!" began Ma Chao.  
  
"Zilong's lucky if she comes back in one piece!" added Jiang Wei, but Zhao Yun was emotionless. He continued to stare at Zhuge's hat.  
  
*Back to Sun Ruan*  
  
The morning light woke up Sun and she opened her eyes. Her horse was still asleep.  
  
Sun crawled over to the river and washed her face, staring at her reflection when she was done. Her face was a pale white, framed by her short black hair. Her eyes were a sparkling brown. Her body was tall and slender. Sun began to remember the moment she met Zhao Yun.  
  
~Flashback~  
  
Sun's village was a corrupted place. A group of bandits had taken over. Anyone that tried to leave was executed.  
  
It was dark and raining outside. Sun Ruan had to go into the dangerous marketplace to purchase medicine for her mother. The market place was an area that endangered the lives of young women and girls. Walking around cautiously, Sun was able to buy some medicine from a stand.  
  
Someone grabbed her and pulled her into the darkness. The man breathed on her neck. Sun struggled to get away but he ripped part of her cheongsam. And then, she saw him.  
  
The man, probably a general, was clad in white colored armor with dragon designs.  
  
Sun Ruan screamed for help.  
  
Meanwhile, Zhao Yun wondered if he should save her. Many girls were raped in the market everyday, why let her be an exception?  
  
But Zhao Yun found himself pulling the young woman away from the rapist. Raising his spear, he slaughtered the man in one blow.  
  
~End of Flashback~  
  
Sun Ruan, out of her little reverie, mounted her horse and continued on her way. Stopping, she picked vegetables out of the forest and fed them to herself and her horse. Sun Ruan did this for several days, stopping only to eat and sleep and then to change clothes.  
  
Finally, Sun reached another town. The town seemed to be a quiet one. Sun entered another restaurant.  
  
The people inside the restaurant were just civilians, but one man in the far corner stood out from the rest of them.  
  
The man had very beautiful features. His hair was tied into a ponytail that went down to his waist. His facial features were delicate. A peacock tiara was nestled on his head. Sun walked over to him.  
  
"Hello." She greeted. The man looked up at her.  
  
"Who are you?" he asked, raising his hands, which Sun could see, were equipped with metal claws.  
  
Sun Ruan took the seat across from him. "Are you a general of the Wei army?"  
  
The man smiled and Sun felt herself blush. "Yes, indeed, I am. My name is Zhang He."  
  
Sun just smiled back. "I am, uh, Mai Li. I wish to join the Wei army."  
  
Zhang He laughed at that. "A girl like you? I guess we could.we have one female officer already. I will bring you to Cao Cao."  
  
Zhang He led Sun Ruan out of the crowded restaurant and they both mounted their horses.  
  
Both were silent on the way to Cao Cao's palace. When they finally arrived, a few guards noticed Sun's sword and panicked.  
  
Zhang He eyed them and led her inside the palace.  
  
Cao Cao's palace was an elaborate building made of fine wood and stone. Inside, the main hall was stylishly decorated. Zhang He opened the dining room door.  
  
Cao Cao was sitting at the head of the table. Various generals looked over and stared at Sun. A female officer glared at her.  
  
Zhang He bowed to Cao Cao and Sun followed suit. "My lord, I bring this young woman to speak to you.  
  
Sun Ruan began to speak. "Lord Cao Cao, I wish to serve in the Wei army."  
  
Cao Cao smirked. "I would like to see your fighting ability."  
  
The female officer rose from her seat and volunteered. "I will fight her!"  
  
Cao Cao shook his head and motioned for her to be seated. "Zhang He found her, Zhang He will fight her."  
  
Sun Ruan removed the Jade Dragon from its sheath and followed Zhang He.  
  
When both were away from the table, Cao Cao motioned for them to begin.  
  
Zhang He smiled at Sun with cool confidence. Sun frowned and began to attack.  
  
So far, Zhang He was able to dodge all of Sun's attacks. He stood, one arm akimbo, the other motioning for Sun Ruan to come closer.  
  
Sun Ruan faked an attack and Zhang He leaped into the air, about to strike. Sun Ruan began to imitate Zhao Yun's fighting strategies. Cao Cao gasped.  
  
"Are you by any chance related to Zhao Yun of Shu?" asked Cao Cao.  
  
Sun Ruan continued to fight Zhang He. "Nope. Not a chance."  
  
After a while, Sun began to suspect that Zhang He was going easy on her. She swung her sword one last time and knocked Zhang He to the ground.  
  
Cao Cao got up from his chair and walked to face Sun Ruan. "What is your name?"  
  
"Mai Li," replied Sun Ruan. "Of Chang'an."  
  
Cao Cao motioned for a maid to escort Sun Ruan to a room.  
  
As she left the dining room, Sun didn't notice the female officer glaring at her with a cold expression.  
  
*~~~~*~~~~*  
  
*Yawn* It's 11:36 as I write. Can I at least have some reviews? Hmm?  
  
Thanks for reading! So was it good? I dunno..you tell me.  
  
Wait! I have some notes for my reviewers! ^_^ which I don't usually do.  
  
Reika: Hmm, I'd normally agree with you about Zhao Yun, but there's more to it!  
  
Sea-Blue Dragon: I'm glad you don't think it's boring! I just thought it sounded kinda boring, that's my opinion. Thanks.  
  
lacitar13: You made a pretty good prediction! And Zhao Yun will suffer, but in a different way.  
  
Black Phoenix: I have deep respect for Zhao Yun as well. And thanks for reading!  
  
Malz: Thanks for the suggestions. And since she's working for Wei, well.we'll see.  
  
BenneyC: You think this is my best so far? I always thought it was Dynasty Warriors in High School! *laughs*  
  
Sincerely,  
  
Yuki-chan 


	3. Jealousy

Pursuit  
Chapter 3  
By Yukira  
  
Disclaimer: I don't own the characters. (Disclaimers are pointless, because if there are stories at FanFiction.net, you know that the characters don't belong to you.)  
  
Author's Notes: Hahaha! It is I, Yukira! And I've returned from the brink of insanity (but am I still crazy? Yes!)! Well, the usual. This is Chapter 3 and I realize that I've been neglecting my other fanfics but I'll update those soon as well.  
  
*~~~~*~~~~*  
  
Sun Ruan buried her face into a pillow that was inside her room.  
  
"I don't really belong here." She thought. "Zhang He was only going easy on me, and the sword doesn't belong to me. Zhao Yun's fighting strategies don't either. I'd better leave now."  
  
Sun Ruan was in the hall way and was about to go see Cao Cao until she heard a loud splashing sound from the room next to hers.  
  
Sun opened the door and saw a small girl of about 14 years desperately trying to mop up a puddle of hot water. Sun crouched over and began to help her.  
  
"You should be joining her," interrupted a haughty voice. Sun Ruan turned around to see the female officer smirking at her. "That's all you're good for, anyways. Maybe not."  
  
Sun stood up and turned around to face the officer. "And who might you be? Another maid?"  
  
The officer just frowned. "How dare you speak to me like that!? I could get your ass kicked out of here anytime I want!"  
  
"So who the hell are you?" demanded Sun Ruan.  
  
"Zhen Ji, wife of Cao Pi, the heir to Lord Cao Cao's throne." She promptly answered. "And who are you?"  
  
Sun just ignored her. Zhen Ji walked away.  
  
Sun Ruan shifted her attention back to the girl. "Is she always like that?"  
  
The girl grinned at Sun. "Yeah. She slaps us too. But I've gotten used to it. We even get revenge."  
  
"Does she ever catch you?"  
  
"No." replied the girl. "She's too stupid."  
  
When the girl left, Sun saw a large tub filled with hot water. Locking the door, she removed her clothes and began to bathe.  
  
*~~~~*~~~~*  
  
Sun got out of the tub and wrapped herself with a small white towel. She folded her cheongsam and slid it into a drawer.  
  
Sun Ruan sneaked into her room and closed the door. Sighing she was about to drop her towel until she heard the door open.  
  
Zhang He stood timidly at the door, blushing. "Sorry, I didn't mean-I should've knocked! Sorry!"  
  
Sun Ruan turned around, still clad in nothing but a towel wrapped around her.  
  
Sun blushed as well. "Uh, that's okay, really. It was an accident."  
  
Zhang He handed her a small scroll. "Our strategist, Sima Yi told me to give this to you."  
  
Sun Ruan took the scroll and opened it up. She read silently: New recruit, please attend a meeting taking place tomorrow morning.  
  
Sun laughed. "Why couldn't he just tell me in person?"  
  
Zhang He grinned. "He is a pompous idiot, but an average strategist."  
  
Sun Ruan laughed at this and handed him back the scroll. "See you tomorrow morning."  
  
Zhang He made a parody of a salute, then walked back to his room down the hall.  
  
Sun Ruan closed her door and changed into one of her silk robes behind a silken screen. Suddenly, someone opened the door.  
  
"Zhang He?" called out Sun from behind the silken screen.  
  
Sun looked out from behind the screen. The person was none other than a fuming Zhen Ji.  
  
"So what? You think he actually likes you? Well you're wrong!" screamed Zhen Ji.  
  
Sun Ruan glanced at her curiously with one eyebrow raised. "Zhang He liking me? He just dropped of a scroll, that's all. Hey! I thought you were married already? What's the deal?"  
  
Zhen Ji stood there, her mouth open in terror. "You-you don't understand!" she cried and with that, she slammed Sun's door shut and ran.  
  
Sun Ruan sat on her bed for a moment. Confused from Zhen Ji's actions, she lay on her bed until she finally fell asleep.  
  
*~~~~*~~~~*  
  
The morning light shone from the window and woke Sun. Sun Ruan looked in the mirror and stared at her face. Her eyes were filled with tears, as if she'd been crying for a while. Sun gently wiped them away with her sleeve and changed into a blue cheongsam.  
  
Sun walked into the hallway after closing the door to her room.  
  
"HAHAHAHAHA!!" laughed a man's voice, scaring Sun Ruan.  
  
Zhang He dropped to the floor in laughter and Sun stared at him, faintly annoyed.  
  
Sun Ruan walked past him. Zhang He caught up with her. "The meeting room," he said, "is this way. Follow me."  
  
On the way to the meeting room, which was far away from Sun's room, Sun Ruan spoke up. "So is this your way of greeting new recruits?"  
  
Zhang He pretended to look thoughtful. "Yes and no."  
  
"I don't get it."  
  
Zhang He laughed. "Me neither."  
  
Zhang He opened a door. This was the meeting room. At a large, narrow table, only Sima Yi and Cao Cao were seated.  
  
"New recruit-" began Sima Yi but Cao Cao elbowed him.  
  
"Err, I meant Mai Li. Uh, well, we are going to engage in battle with the Wu forces very soon and-"  
  
"And?"  
  
"Well, we were wondering if you would mind sharing a tent with General Zhang He, we are running out of material to make tents."  
  
"No," replied Sun Ruan. "I don't mind."  
  
Behind them, Zhen Ji burst into the room. "WHAT!? I can't believe you!" and with that, she stormed off.  
  
Zhang He looked surprised. "Uh, well, that was certainly.weird."  
  
Sun just stared curiously at the spot where Zhen Ji had stood.  
  
*~~~~*~~~~*  
  
A bit short, no? Just Review! 


	4. Confusion

Pursuit  
By Yukira  
Chapter 4  
  
Disclaimer: I do not own the characters, yay!  
  
Author's Notes: Well, I guess I'll answer reviews at the end of the chapter. Thanks for reviewing, you know. Now, on with the chapter! w00t!  
  
*~~~~*~~~~*  
  
Sima Yi glanced over at Cao Cao. "The scouts have reported in. Zhang Liao has been captured by the Shu forces."  
  
Cao Cao slammed his fist on the table. "Damn! What will we do?"  
  
Sima Yi leaned back in his chair, crafty smile playing on his mouth, obviously somewhat amused at his Lord's agitation. "Well, you see, I have been working on a plan."  
  
"A plan, you say?"  
  
"Yes," replied Sima Yi. "It would be useless to prepare the whole army for battle, no matter how important Zhang Liao was so we'll have to send in a small pair of officers to rescue him."  
  
"Who will go?"  
  
Sima Yi pretended to be lost in thought, then replied. "We will need two or three agile warriors for this. I suggest Zhang He. His speed is unrivaled."  
  
"And his partner?"  
  
"Well, I was originally thinking of Zhen Ji, but she seems to be distraught about something. A mission like this could tear her apart. So I suggest...Xu Huang?"  
  
Cao Cao laughed at this. "I suggest a female officer. Women are generally faster then men."  
  
"I guess you're right," answered Sima Yi. "But since Zhen Ji is out for now, well..."  
  
"You're thinking about the new one? What's her name...I forgot."  
  
Sima Yi seemed to disagree. "What!? Are you sure we can trust her?"  
  
"No," replied Cao Cao, standing up. "But we will see."  
  
*~~~~*~~~~*  
  
Sun Ruan Er was pacing her room, heading to her door then stopping. She had been doing this for a few hours already, wondering if she should leave. Then, Zhang He opened her door.  
  
"Yes?"  
  
Zhang He motioned for her to leave the room. "Lord Sima Yi is requesting our presence."  
  
Sun Ruan followed the path to the conference room and someone called her 'name'.  
  
"Mai Li!" greeted Sima Yi.  
  
Sun Ruan stayed quiet. Who was Mai Li? And then she remembered!  
  
"Uh, yes?"  
  
Sima Yi pulled out two seats across from him; one for Zhang He and one for Sun.  
  
"Well, there is something I'd like to tell you..."  
  
Sun Ruan and Zhang He sat down.  
  
"It's hard to explain...well...General Zhang Liao has been taken hostage by the Shu kingdom."  
  
"Continue."  
  
"What I'm asking you to do is infiltrate the Shu territory, locate Zhang Liao, and take him back here without getting caught. Is this okay?"  
  
Sun Ruan spoke. "Who will be guarding...uh...him?"  
  
Sima Yi stared curiously at Sun. "Well...we don't know yet. Probably Liu Bei's trusted officer, Zhao Yun-"  
  
"That bas-" began Sun loudly but she stopped when Sima Yi and Zhang He gave her curious looks.  
  
"You know Zhao Yun?" asked Zhang He.  
  
"Who? Zhao Yun? No...I don't know him...I just thought you said someone else." Answered Sun Ruan.  
  
Sima Yi continued to speak. "The mission will have to be done tonight."  
  
Both officers nodded.  
  
*~~~~*~~~~*  
  
Zhang He waited patiently, mounted on his horse.  
  
Then Sun Ruan mounted the horse beside him, clad in a black cape and hood that covered her face and made her barely recognizable.  
  
"So," started Zhang He.  
  
"I know what you're thinking," answered Sun, "Why am I wearing this?"  
  
"Yeah..."  
  
"We should go now." Sun rode off on the horse and Zhang He followed her.  
  
On the way to the Shu territory, Sun Ruan was silent.  
  
"I was wondering. Where did you get your sword from?" asked Zhang He.  
  
Sun Ruan bit her lip. The Jade Dragon was still in its sheath. "It was a gift."  
  
"A gift?"  
  
"Yes. A...a young blacksmith forged it out of jade and silver...he gave it to me."  
  
Zhang He and Sun were quiet. Ten minutes later:  
  
"I was also wondering about your weapon."  
  
"My claws?"  
  
"Yes."  
  
"From my family. It was locked in a case for years...and when I got it open..."  
  
Sun Ruan pointed to the Shu's flag. From behind a large rock, Sun saw Zhao Yun walking out of a small tent. She dismounted and Zhang He followed suit.  
  
And then she could hear another voice.  
  
"Ow, let me go! When I get out of here, I swear..."  
  
"That's Zhang Liao!" whispered Zhang He.  
  
"Okay." Began Sun. "Here's the plan. I will stand watch from outside of Zhang Liao's tent. You will go inside and rescue him. Deal?"  
  
Zhang He nodded. The two officers waited until Zhao Yun and the other Shu troops were out of sight. They moved somewhere behind a bush.  
  
Sun Ruan sneaked out and stood watch near the tent. Zhang He walked inside the tent and...  
  
Zhang Liao was chained to the ground. Next to him was a guard.  
  
The guard's eyes opened wide as he saw Zhang He. Then, before Zhang He could catch him, he ran off to the center of the tents and rang a large gong.  
  
"Ahh! Shit, we're screwed!" thought Sun.  
  
Zhao Yun suddenly ran back and began to fight Zhang He. Zhang Liao looked up at them from the ground.  
  
A sub-officer ran in the tent to help restrain Zhang He. Sun Ruan pulled the Jade Dragon out of its sheath and began to join in the skirmish.  
  
Zhao Yun turned around and looked at Sun Ruan. Her face was still hidden. Zhao Yun then stared at the sword.  
  
Sun Ruan made the first move. She swung the sword but Zhao Yun blocked it with his spear.  
  
"I guess I will fight you." Said Zhao Yun.  
  
"Fine! Let's see how you fend against me."  
  
After exchanging a few bouts, Zhao Yun spoke. "That sword you wield, it looks very familiar to me."  
  
"Oh what?" answered Sun, in an annoyed tone. "The Jade Dragon?"  
  
"Yes."  
  
"Would you mind telling me where you got it from?" implored Zhao Yun.  
  
Sun Ruan attacked again but Zhao Yun dodged. "It was just a gift."  
  
"Was it, really?"  
  
Sun ignored this question. She caught Zhao Yun off guard and used this opportunity to knock his spear out of his hands. Zhao Yun grabbed several other small spears and fought back.  
  
The Jade Dragon was able to slice through the other spears as though they were nothing.  
  
Finally, Zhao Yun, out of defenses surrendered, his back against a small house.  
  
"Okay, you win." He said, looking down.  
  
Sun slid the Jade Dragon back into its sheath and turned around, about to walk away.  
  
Zhao Yun suddenly jumped forward and pulled Sun's cape and hood off. She was exposed, wearing a white qipao.  
  
Sun Ruan turned around and faced Zhao Yun.  
  
Zhao Yun only gasped. "It's-It's you!"  
  
Sun only glared at him, her eyes filled with hatred. "I have to go now."  
  
Zhao Yun stepped forward. "Why did you leave?"  
  
Sun Ruan's eyes filled with tears of anger. "You of all people should know! Why don't you ask the village women?"  
  
Sun ran off, but Zhao Yun did not try to stop her. Instead, he picked up his Dragon Spear and sat inside his tent, still confused.  
  
*~~~~*~~~~*  
  
Sun ran back behind the rock. Zhang Liao was mounted on one of the two horses.  
  
Zhang He mounted a horse and motioned for Sun Ruan to sit behind him.  
  
Sun climbed up on the horse and held on to Zhang He tightly as they rode off back to the Wei castle.  
  
*~~~~*~~~~*  
  
Zhao Yun, clad in a silk robe, lay down on his sleeping mat and rested his head on a pillow. Everyone else had already gone to sleep but Zhao Yun was still wide awake.  
  
"Why did she leave?" thought Zhao Yun.  
  
Zhao Yun closed his eyes and began to fall asleep.  
  
*~~~~*~~~~*  
  
So how was this chapter, hmm? It took me a few hours to write it, and now, I'm tired, but happy that it's completed.  
  
Can I at least get a few reviews? Oh! Right...answering reviews...  
  
Sea-Blue Dragon: Thanks for reviewing, and yes...I've been insane...heh...  
  
Malz: First of all, thank you for submitting such a nice, thoughtful review. Heh. Next, Sun Ruan Er is NOT an original character. Type her name in a search engine. You'll see what I mean. Third of all, lighten up, it's only a FANFICTION. If you wanted a fic with the real Zhen Ji, write one yourself. I don't go by RoTK. Nor do I go by history. How can I make Zhen Ji a bitch? I just do so my FANFICTION will have the effect that it does. I understand your respect for Zhen Ji, I respect her myself, but again, this is a FANFICTION. Have a nice day, hope to hear from you soon, and please work on proofreading your reviews. Good day to you (or night, I dunno).  
  
Black Phoenix: You can do Ma Chao's musou attack? Wow! I hope you are okay...thanks for reviewing!  
  
Akairi: Thank you for reading and reviewing! And *ahem* wasn't it I that first fell asleep during reviews? Hmm? ^_^  
  
lacitar13: Ahh, the edge of insanity. Kind of a cool place to go...occasionally... And you are right, I wasn't thinking about the different name thing...well, the reason she hasn't messed up yet is because no one has addressed her by her other name...yet. Thanks for the review.  
  
Luke McDermott: Short but nice review. Thanks.  
  
Okay...Now that I'm done answering my reviews, uh...well...you know...review...  
  
~*Yukira*~ 


	5. Suicide and a Second Chance

Pursuit  
Chapter 5  
By Yukira  
  
Disclaimer: I don't own the characters. Whoop de doo.  
  
Author's Notes: I like writing about Sun Ruan Er. It's fun. And it's even more fun making Zilong the bad guy. Haha.  
  
*~~~~*~~~~*  
  
I was trapped. Sun Ruan was out of sight. I was surrounded by a group of bandits and my weapon was nowhere to be found.  
  
The bandits charged forth, wielding butterfly knives (AN: Kano from MK:DA!). Surrounded and defenseless, the only thing I could do was run. And then there was a scream.  
  
Turning around, I could see Sun Ruan tied to a tree, the bandit leader holding a knife to her neck. I ran back, passing the bandits that pursued me.  
  
Her eyes pleaded with his, and he pulled the knife away from her neck, then in one swipe-  
  
My eyes opened and I sat up. I was in my tent.  
  
*~~~~*~~~~*  
  
Zhao Yun stretched for a few seconds, then walked out of his tent. It was early morning, but he didn't feel tired.  
  
He changed into his usual armor and battle apparel, then walked out to the middle of the camp. Everyone else was still asleep. Mounting his horse, he rode by brandishing his spear. A voice stopped him.  
  
Liu Bei walked out of his tent. "Zhao Yun, where are you going?"  
  
Zhao Yun bit his lip, then promptly answered. "I was just going to the village...to collect my thoughts...I will be back."  
  
As Zhao Yun sped off, Liu Bei already knew what he was going to do. "Good luck." He whispered, then went back to his tent.  
  
*~~~~*~~~~*  
  
Yes, the village was a noisy place, that is, until Zhao Zilong rode in on his white steed. Old and young women alike avoided looking at him directly but he was sure that they glared at him from behind.  
  
An elderly woman accompanied by 2 younger women walked out of their house and Zhao recognized the old one as the wife of the village's leader.  
  
Dismounting, Zhao Yun walked closer and the women stopped.  
  
The three women bowed in front of Zilong but he stopped them.  
  
"I-I need to talk to you." Stammered Zhao Yun.  
  
The old woman surveyed him. "Hmm, you are Sun Ruan's husband, right?"  
  
Zhao nodded slowly, then: "I wanted to know why she left."  
  
"Follow me."  
  
The elderly woman's home was a comfortable one that featured exotic furniture, and the walls were adorned with metal edged fans.  
  
The woman sent the other two away, then poured Zhao Yun a cup of tea.  
  
"Someone has spread rumors that you are... How do I put this? Well, someone spread a rumor...saying that you were...cheating on Sun Ruan."  
  
Zhao Yun set his tea on the table in shock. "What!? I..."  
  
"She probably heard..."  
  
Zilong bowed in respect to the woman and left, mounting his horse again and riding off.  
  
*~~~~*~~~~*  
  
Sun Ruan sat on Zhang He's bed next to him, thinking.  
  
"Well?" he asked.  
  
"No, I can't. I will see you tomorrow." Sun got up to leave, when the door open, there stood Zhen Ji, smirking.  
  
"What the-"  
  
"Ha! He used you! He used you!" mocked Zhen Ji.  
  
"What are you--!? Zhang He?"  
  
"Zhen Ji, not yet! I didn't yet!" yelled Zhang He.  
  
"So you tried to use me!?" cried Sun Ruan, running out of his room.  
  
Sun Ruan ran back to her room, grabbing her sword and running out of the palace, finally mounting her horse and riding off. She didn't know where to go, now, she could trust no one.  
  
She sped by a village, it looked familiar, and then she saw it. A cliff.  
  
*~~~~*~~~~*  
  
Zhao Yun heard something or someone passing by quickly. He saw a glimpse of the figure...Sun Ruan!?  
  
*~~~~*~~~~*  
  
Sun dismounted and stared at the area below the cliff. She could see nothing so far, because of the thick fog. There were jagged rocks, though. She walked back to the horse, not sure of what she'd do.  
  
*~~~~*~~~~*  
  
Zilong thought he saw someone near the cliff! He rode and saw it was Sun.  
  
*~~~~*~~~~*  
  
Sun looked over. It was none other than Zhao Yun, a person she had not seen in a while. She grabbed the Jade Dragon and backed away.  
  
Zhao Yun dismounted as well, stepping slowly towards Sun Ruan.  
  
"Just leave me alone."  
  
"Sun, don't."  
  
"Don't come any closer."  
  
Zhao Yun stopped advancing.  
  
"I know why you left, I didn't-"  
  
Sun began crying, tears of anger and sorrow flowing from her eyes. "Goodbye."  
  
And with that, Jade Dragon tucked on her sash, she jumped off the cliff, and felt free for once.  
  
*~~~~*~~~~* End of chapter 5, now chapter 6. (My gift to you for updating slowly.)  
  
*~~~~*~~~~*  
  
Zhao Yun watched her jump off, then took a step forward. He could not see her anymore, the fog enveloping her.  
  
*~~~~*~~~~*  
  
Sun Ruan closed her eyes, bracing herself to die, but she opened them, realizing that she still wanted to live.  
  
*~~~~*~~~~*  
  
Lu Xun yawned and stretched out his arms, careful not to fall off of his horse. He was given the assignment of mapping out this area but the fog only made this harder.  
  
"Hmm," he thought to himself. "There seems to be a path here, but there are no-"  
  
He was cut off when he heard a large splashing sound up north.  
  
Lu Xun took out his swords and began to cut his way through, and then, he saw an unconscious woman drowning in a wide river.  
  
She was too far away to pull out, and it seemed that the river was heading for a waterfall. Lu Xun rode faster and pulled a rope out of a pack on his horse.  
  
Maybe if...  
  
Lu Xun tied a loop on the rope and tried to throw it around her. He missed, and she was getting closer to falling. He tried again, the rope wrapped around her waist and he pulled her closer until he was able to pull her out.  
  
The woman seemed to be very young, around 17. Her hair was short and black colored. Her skin was very fair. She was clad in a white sleeveless cheongsam with a sword hung on her sash.  
  
Lu Xun searched for a pulse and he found one. He tilted her head back and began to breathe air into her...  
  
Seconds later, she sat up and started coughing out water. Lu Xun opened the pack on his horse and brought a towel to her.  
  
Lu Xun sat across from her on a rock and they sat like this, silent.  
  
The girl broke the silence by saying, "Thank you."  
  
Lu Xun smiled at her. "Who are you?"  
  
"Jun Li."  
  
"So...what happened?"  
  
Jun Li paused, then began explaining. "I was on my way to join the Wu army, but a large group of bandits pushed me off the cliff."  
  
Lu Xun's eyes shifted from her to her sword. "Do you think I could see that?"  
  
Jun Li took her sword off from her sash and let Lu Xun examine it.  
  
"The Jade Dragon?"  
  
Jun nodded. Then, she saw Lu Xun's swords. "Are you from the Wu kingdom?"  
  
Lu Xun nodded. "I can take you there."  
  
Lu Xun mounted his horse and motioned for Jun to sit behind him. She climbed up and held onto him as they headed for the Wu kingdom.  
  
*~~~~*~~~~*  
  
As Sun Ruan held onto Lu Xun, she felt strange... Maybe she was destined for the Wu kingdom, Lu Xun...being her savior.  
  
They rode for a few hours, passing meadows and ponds, the scenery was beautiful.  
  
And then, Ruan saw it. The Wu palace. A marvel, really. It was a large mansion constructed of strong woods and stone, built temple style.  
  
As they dismounted, a few guards ran over to check over them. Lu Xun brushed them away and led Sun Ruan inside.  
  
The Wu palace was similar to that of Wei's, but it glowed with a somewhat friendly aura.  
  
There were large paintings on the walls and many corridors.  
  
Finally, he led her to a conference room, where Sun Jian was sitting.  
  
Sun Jian looked up as they sat down.  
  
Lu Xun introduced Sun. "Lord Sun Jian, this is Jun Li. She wants to join the Wu army."  
  
Sun Jian stared at Sun Ruan, then came to a conclusion. "Have I seen you somewhere before? You look familiar..."  
  
Sun Ruan shook her head.  
  
"Oh well." Thought Sun Jian aloud. Then: "Lu Xun, could you escort Jun Li to a room?"  
  
"Yes sir."  
  
As the two walked out of the conference room, Sun Ruan spoke up. "He does look familiar to me."  
  
"He... does?"  
  
"In a way... yes."  
  
Several maids were scurrying around, setting up Sun's room.  
  
Lu Xun leaned against the wall for a moment, then turned to face Sun. "If you want, I can ask the Qiao sisters to lend you some clothes."  
  
"The Qiaos? Who are they?"  
  
"You've never heard of them?"  
  
"No."  
  
"Come with me, I'll take you to them." Lu Xun walked to another room and Sun followed.  
  
There were two rooms side by side and Lu Xun knocked on both doors. "Da and Xiao! Show yourselves!"  
  
The Qiao sisters opened the door and Sun almost gasped out loud.  
  
The Qiaos were about her size, but they looked so...childish...too childish...  
  
"Uh, hi." Greeted Sun.  
  
The two Qiaos whispered something to each other. "Hi!"  
  
Then, the black haired Qiao ran back to her room and pulled out a silk robe, then handed it to Sun.  
  
"You can wear this for now." She answered cheerfully.  
  
"Thank you."  
  
Sun decided to go back to her room, she was tired and didn't feel like talking.  
  
*~~~~*~~~~*  
  
Ahh...I'm so tired...  
  
So...sleepy...  
  
Can I have some reviews? 


	6. Suprise Attack

Pursuit  
Chapter 6  
By Yukira  
  
Disclaimer: I do not own the characters. Whew! I typed that fast!  
  
Author's Notes: I think I'll answer some reviews first...  
  
Sea-Blue Dragon: Really? I didn't think I was that imaginative...thanks.  
  
Black Phoenix: One word: Duck. Does it ring a bell? Heh... Duck laying eggs off a cliff... Uh...qipao thing? Okay!  
  
Malz: Yay! You apologized! Thanks for the apology.  
  
Angie: Short review, but nice.  
  
Ugh, my writing is pretty much "bleh!" today, Gomen Ne.  
  
*~~~~*~~~~*  
  
Sun, her head still buried into a pillow, heard someone open the door. It was Lu Xun.  
  
"It's time for dinner."  
  
Sun looked up. "I'll be down in a few minutes. Go ahead."  
  
Sun looked into the closet and found a suit of armor, a set of sleeping clothes, and a red cheongsam. She changed into the red dress and headed downstairs.  
  
The Wu palace's dining hall was a huge place. The Wu officers were seated. Sun Ruan sat next to Lu Xun.  
  
The smell of ginger and savory duck lingered from the kitchen. Two maids brought over the first course, duck congee.  
  
"Wow! I don't think I could cook that well!" laughed Sun after trying some of the congee.  
  
Lu Xun smiled. "You cook?"  
  
"I try."  
  
More maids walked over to the table, each carrying several plates of food: bok choy, grilled fish, Chinese broccoli, and pork spareribs. All were served with rice.  
  
When the officers were lingering over the last entrees, a girl brought out small glasses and a large jug.  
  
"What is that?" asked Sun.  
  
"Wine."  
  
The wine was poured and glasses were handed to everyone. Sun looked doubtful.  
  
"I...don't know."  
  
Lu Xun grinned. "A little won't hurt."  
  
"I guess so."  
  
*~~~~*~~~~*  
  
One week later...  
  
*~~~~*~~~~*  
  
That day, Sun was sleeping in again, until she heard cries of men outside the palace. She jumped over to the window...  
  
The Wei army was there, all of them equipped and ready to attack the Wu kingdom. Zhang He and Zhen Ji were side by side leading them. Xu Zhu, Zhang Liao, Xu Huang, the Xiahou brothers, and Cao Ren were behind them, mounted on horses. There was a large amount of men, probably seven hundred, at the most.  
  
Lu Xun burst into Sun's room. "Jun Li! The Wei forces are attacking! Hurry, get ready for battle!"  
  
Sun nodded and Lu Xun ran out of her room to alert more people.  
  
Sun Ruan decided not to wear too much armor, as it would weigh her down too much. She wore some cloth guards and a light sheet of armor that protected her neck and chest. Then, some for her legs.  
  
Sun took the Jade Dragon, still in its sheath, and followed the Wu generals outside the palace.  
  
Outside in the large village, Zhang He headed towards a large orphanage. Sun Ruan gasped and tried to evacuate the children, taking a different route.  
  
Inside the orphanage, there were no signs of anyone there. Sun ventured deeper, strolling down one of the hallways. It was very quiet, maybe even too quiet...  
  
"I don't get it." She said aloud to herself.  
  
Sun Ruan wasn't prepared for the attack she was to receive from behind. Zhang He was able to knock the Jade Dragon out of her hand. The sword slid into a room. Sun turned to face him.  
  
"So you've joined the Wu forces? Not a good choice!"  
  
She ran, but the armor weighed her down too much. Zhang He knocked her down and ran off.  
  
Sun decided to take off the armor, revealing a pink sleeping garment that Da Qiao made for her.  
  
Then she ran into a room looking for her sword.  
  
Suddenly, pain shot through her back. She turned around...and there was Zhang He, his claws drenched in her blood. Sun ran off again.  
  
Sun ran upstairs to the second floor and ran into a room, locking the door behind her.  
  
Breathing deeply, she examined her injury in a mirror.  
  
She could hear footsteps outside of the room. Then, it seemed as if Zhang He was kicking down doors, he was getting closer to her.  
  
Outside in the hall, Zhang He could hear her breathing. He clawed at the door, then kicked it down with brute force.  
  
Sun glared at him, then escaped out of the room passing by him quickly running down the hall. Zhang He ran after her.  
  
"So you lure me into an empty building to kill me?" asked Sun while she was ahead of him.  
  
"Precisely."  
  
Behind her, Zhang He was catching up fast and Sun knew it. And then, at the end of the stairs, there was an exit!  
  
Sun jumped down the last stairs and tried to open the door, but it seemed to be barricaded outside. Zhang He jumped the last stairs and prepared to strike in mid air.  
  
Sun ran off again. Zhang He landed on the ground and pursued her.  
  
Sun ran down a hallway and saw something shine in a room. It was her sword.  
  
Sun ran and grabbed it. Zhang He appeared outside and Sun attacked.  
  
Zhang He was thrown back, he would be temporarily stunned. Sun tried to find a way out.  
  
And there was the entrance! Sun opened the door, only to be kicked back by Zhen Ji.  
  
Sun flew back and hit the wall hard. This was the power of Zhen Ji's flying kick.  
  
Zhang He, behind her, was not stunned any longer.  
  
Zhang He was obviously very angry now. He jumped up and prepared to kill Sun with one strike.  
  
Sun Ruan crawled away and escaped with a slash on her back.  
  
Now, Sun was too wounded and exhausted to fight back against Zhen Ji and Zhang He. She braced herself to die...  
  
Sun's eyesight was blurry from her blood loss and she lay on her back staring up. Then, a man clothed in red pushed her attackers back. He picked her up and ran off.  
  
Sun could see that the man holding her was Lu Xun.  
  
He was heading towards the Wu palace. There were the dead bodies of Wei and Wu soldiers and the other Wei generals were nowhere to be found.  
  
Grief lingered in the main room of the palace. Xiao Qiao, seriously injured, was weeping and Zhou Yu comforted her.  
  
A tiny teenager that looked like Da Qiao was staring at Sun Ce. Sun Jian and his two other children were just looking on. Lu Meng, Taishi Ci, and Huang Gai sat together with their sub-officers.  
  
"We...won, didn't we?" asked Sun Ruan, her voice trembling.  
  
Lu Xun set her down on a mat and sat next to her. A few maids went by and began to clean Sun Ruan's wounds.  
  
It wasn't for a while until Lu Xun answered her. "We did win, but at a terrible cost."  
  
And then Sun's eyes widened. "Where's Da Qiao?"  
  
Lu Xun just looked on. "She...died at the hands of Dian Wei."  
  
Sun closed her eyes, not allowing tears to escape.  
  
"It seems I will have to marry her daughter. It's what she wanted."  
  
Sun Ruan opened her eyes again, and the tears flowed. "Da Qiao was a mother!?"  
  
"She never told you?"  
  
"No. I didn't know..."  
  
"That girl over there next to Xiao is her daughter. Her name is Sun Qiao."  
  
"Doesn't she have a son?"  
  
Lu Xun sighed. "That's another thing. Her only son was killed with her."  
  
Sun Ruan glanced over to see Sun Qiao. She was a tiny girl, with her mother's delicate features. Her eyes reflected her father's stubbornness. Her skin was fair, untainted.  
  
"Sun Ce no longer has a son. Who will take over the throne?"  
  
Lu Xun seemed to be even more upset about this. "He...will have another wife."  
  
"So you are marrying Sun Qiao?"  
  
"It seems so. Da Qiao had been pestering me for days, trying to make me marry her daughter. I must respect her dying wish."  
  
Sun Ruan sighed and Lu Xun put one arm around her.  
  
Lu Xun looked into Sun's eyes. "Don't worry. One day, you will find the right one for you."  
  
Sun looked down. She was blushing now. So Lu Xun had found out about her little 'crush'.  
  
To Lu Xun's surprise, Sun Ruan's answer was, "I thought I had. Maybe he is still waiting for me." 


	7. Chase in the Woods

Pursuit  
By Yukira  
Chapter 7  
  
Disclaimer: The characters belong to themselves... And the character designs (except for Sun Ruan) belong to Koei. That...is all.  
  
Author's Notes: Finally, the moment of TRUTH!! Zhao Yun confronts the woman that spread the rumor! Waah, my writing is bad today...  
  
*~~~~*~~~~*  
  
Zhao Yun wondered through the fog, searching for Sun Ruan. The fog was thick, and he wasn't able to see much...not that he would have liked to...  
  
Zilong had returned earlier to the main camp to gather a search party, but so far, he had lost the others in their feeble group of five, and had no way of contacting each other.  
  
He stumbled over a large rock and saw a group of cherry trees, adorned with their small, delicate pink blossoms. How his wife would have loved to see this.  
  
Footsteps behind Zhao startled him and he turned around to see who it was.  
  
Shen Yi, Shu's second female general, stood there, arms akimbo.  
  
"What do you want?" he asked in a firm voice, betraying his emotions.  
  
"What are you doing?" she countered in an equally firm voice.  
  
Zhao Yun, annoyed, replied, "I'm looking for my wife."  
  
"Your wife? Sun Ruan wasn't your wife, she was engaged to you and that's it. And besides, 'wife' seems to describe her as old. Maybe she was just-"  
  
"What do you care!?" shouted Zilong, "You are probably the one that spread the rumor about-"  
  
"Oh?"  
  
Zhao Yun finally came to a realization. "You...spread the rumor!?"  
  
"Did I?"  
  
"You bastard!" spat Zhao.  
  
"Yeah, so what!? There are plenty of girls out there just like her, in fact, grab a handful if you must!"  
  
Zhao Yun eyed her scornfully. "What are you here for?"  
  
"Zhuge Liang sent me. His orders are that of Liu Bei-"  
  
"That's Lord Liu Bei, damnit!"  
  
"Right, whatever... Anyways, I'm sure you won't be disappointed..."  
  
Zhao Yun stood there, his back facing her, not looking back until she was gone.  
  
Resting for a while, Zhao Yun's intuition took hold. Sun Ruan was probably dead or she survived. Either way, she wouldn't be returning to him...  
  
Zhao Yun sighed heavily and walked back to his horse, mounted it, then dashed off in the direction of the main camp.  
  
*~~~~*~~~~*  
  
Sun Ruan was lying on her bed. Nightmares that plagued her never occurred when she was with Zhao Yun...  
  
She couldn't get to sleep. Something was bothering her...  
  
And then that's when she heard footsteps pacing the hallway. Although her wounds seared with pain when she walked, she managed to get outside.  
  
Lu Xun had been walking around for a while, and when he saw Sun, his face lit up.  
  
"You can't get to sleep either?"  
  
Sun nodded, then winced at the pains.  
  
Lu Xun carried her back to her bed. "I'll be back in a few minutes."  
  
Minutes later, Lu Xun brought back tea. Jasmine tea, bitter but comforting at the same time. Sun took a sip.  
  
"I think...something's bothering me." Sighed Sun Ruan.  
  
"What is it?"  
  
"I'm not being true to you or anyone else. Not even myself."  
  
"Jun, what are you talking about?"  
  
"My...my name's not Jun Li. It was a fake name. I'm Sun Ruan Er."  
  
Lu Xun, sitting next to her, was silent. "Are you related to our lord?"  
  
"I...don't know. Maybe it's just a coincidence..."  
  
"No, you must somehow be related to him..."  
  
Sun shook her head. "I really don't know. I was orphaned as a small child..."  
  
"Maybe you're his second niece...or...maybe it is just a coincidence, but either way, you share the same ancestors from five centuries ago..."  
  
"You are right."  
  
"So where are you from?" asked Lu Xun.  
  
"I was engaged to General Zhao Zilong...but..."  
  
"What happened?"  
  
"He was cheating on me."  
  
Both were silent until Sun spoke again.  
  
"So what is Sun Qiao like?"  
  
Lu Xun thought for a while, then answered her question. "She's...a normal girl, I suppose. She's pretty, but...not very intelligent. Okay, I guess."  
  
"Oh?"  
  
"But she's Da Qiao's daughter, so I will..."  
  
"Has Sun Ce found another wife yet?"  
  
Lu Xun shook his head. "He is still upset over Da Qiao. He will soon."  
  
"I have nightmares."  
  
"What kind?"  
  
"I...was jumping off a mountain at night and there were...ghosts..."  
  
"Do you believe in ghosts?"  
  
"No, no...I don't...but they seemed so real..."  
  
"In that case, I will stay here with you tonight."  
  
"It's okay, you don't have to."  
  
"But I will anyways."  
  
*~~~~*~~~~*  
  
When Zhao Yun finally reached the main camp, he saw a silhouette of Zhuge Liang inside a tent.  
  
Zhuge Liang was seated at a table. Shen Yi sat at another side and Zhuge motioned for him to sit across from her.  
  
"Do you know why you're here?" asked Zhuge.  
  
"No...I don't."  
  
"You need a wife. Lady Sun Ruan is gone, so you will have to marry Shen Yi."  
  
"WHAT!?"  
  
"No more outbursts Zhao Zilong, you may be depressed about this girl, but remember, my orders are as important as those of Lord Liu Bei."  
  
"My lord, I refuse to marry Shen Yi... I'm confident that Sun Ruan is still out there...somewhere..."  
  
Zhuge Liang snorted. "Hah, she is only an insignificant village girl. Shen Yi is a trained warrior that Shu is proud to have."  
  
"Don't...talk about her that way!"  
  
"You have two days to prepare for your marriage to Lady Shen Yi."  
  
"Lord Zhuge Liang," spat Zhao Yun in contempt, "What if I were to find another maiden?"  
  
"Keep in mind, 'Little Dragon', that no single woman out there can match Shen Yi's fighting skills. You will marry her in two days. Is that clear?"  
  
Zhao Yun eyed them both scornfully and nodded.  
*~~~~*~~~~*  
  
Sun Ruan woke and saw Lu Xun sitting on the bed, half asleep. She smiled.  
  
Suddenly, someone burst in the room. It was Sun Jian.  
  
"The time to attack is now! Get ready!" he shouted, then went to other rooms.  
  
Lu Xun woke up. "What's going on?"  
  
"Lord Sun Jian says that we will have to prepare for battle..."  
  
"Against who?"  
  
"I...don't know."  
  
"Let's go, then!"  
  
Lu Xun went back into his room to prepare while Sun did so in hers.  
  
Today, Sun didn't wear armor. She figured that she had nothing to live for, so she went clad in a white cheongsam tied with a red sash.  
  
The Jade Dragon had been collecting dust for a week after Wei's surprise attack. She picked it up and hung it on her sash.  
  
She met Lu Xun in the hall. He was clad in his battle attire and he nodded.  
  
In the main room, Sun Jian began to discuss the plan. "Today, we will set up our main camp near Shu's in a secret position. Tomorrow is where we'll begin attacking."  
  
"We are attacking Shu?" whispered Sun.  
  
Lu Xun nodded.  
  
Sun Ruan snuck back into her room and wore a cape and a hood over her clothes. Then she snuck back into the main room.  
  
The army, generals on their horses and troops carrying flags, began their march solemnly.  
  
Sun Ruan fell asleep and her horse followed the others. Lu Xun rode by to make sure she didn't fall off.  
  
*~~~~*~~~~*  
  
Several men pushed Zilong into a carriage next to Shen Yi. She was clad in a green qipao and Zilong was forced to wear a green silk robe.  
  
Shen Yi looked down at him and snickered. "It looks like you'll be married to me. Show some respect."  
  
Zhao Yun glared at her. "Not if I kill you first."  
  
Pulling a vial and a needle out of her purse, Shen Yi shook her head slowly. "That's not very wise, is it?"  
  
"What is that?"  
  
"Poison. And I won't hesitate to do so in case you aren't behaving."  
  
Zhao Yun sat a few inches away from Shen Yi and stared at her.  
  
"That's it. Closer." Shen Yi gestured.  
  
*~~~~*~~~~*  
  
"Sun Ruan?" called out Zhao Yun.  
  
"Sun!"  
  
Sun opened her eyes.  
  
"Hey Sun!" whispered Lu Xun, "Wake up! We're here."  
  
"Oh."  
  
Lu Xun dismounted and Sun followed suit. "We're setting up camp here?"  
  
"Yes. Near the Shu's main camp."  
  
"Oh. Good."  
  
"Sun, is something bothering you?"  
  
"No, nothing." Answered Sun Ruan. "Is it okay if I look around by myself for a while?"  
  
"Yeah, go ahead. Just don't alert the Shu army."  
  
"Thanks."  
  
Sun Ruan took a look around her. The Wu army was setting up camp in a forest.  
  
There seemed to be a path through a group of trees that called out for her to walk through. So she did.  
  
It was a long walk, and it took an hour before Sun could see anything. Then, she saw light coming from one direction.  
  
Pushing two trees aside so she could see, Sun saw something that saddened her and angered her at the same time.  
  
Zhao Yun was sitting close to the female general, one arm wrapped around her shoulder. They were both wearing wedding apparel. Sun cursed him silently and continued to stare. So he was cheating on her the whole time! Now, she had proof and nothing else to live for.  
  
*~~~~*~~~~*  
  
Zhao Yun was disgusted on what he had to do. Shen Yi threatened to kill him if he didn't pretend that they were a couple.  
  
Yawning, he turned his head to face the forest, then saw a certain someone.  
  
It was Sun Ruan. Zilong gasped and jumped off of the carriage. Sun Ruan ran off into the forest.  
  
Zhao Yun kept getting hit on the head with small branches. Tiny cuts adorned his arms, but he still kept running after Sun.  
  
Sun Ruan continued to run faster and faster, almost tripping over rocks and falling, but not quite. Zhao Yun was having trouble keeping up with her.  
  
The group of trees grew smaller and now they were running in a meadow. Taking this opportunity, Zhao Yun caught up with her and lunged forward.  
  
"Get off of me!" cried Sun. Zhao Yun was on top of her and she was struggling violently.  
  
Zilong pinned her to the ground and held her there until she stopped struggling.  
  
"Just let me go."  
  
"I'm sorry, but I can't do that."  
  
"Why not!?" she screamed. "You are getting married to another woman and have been planning to for-"  
  
"It was a rumor."  
  
Sun Ruan and Zhao Yun were silent until Sun started crying.  
  
"No it wasn't!"  
  
"Oh?"  
  
"Let...me...go! Now!"  
  
Zhao Yun loosened his grip on her and Sun used this opportunity to kick him off and start running again.  
  
There was a large pond in the meadow and Sun jumped in without thinking. Zhao Yun got up and jumped in after her.  
  
Zhao Yun was a strong swimmer and he was about to catch up with Sun.  
  
Sun surfaced for air and then lost Zilong. She hid behind a rock.  
  
Zhao Yun was having difficulty finding her. He swam around the edges.  
  
Sun saw that Zhao Yun was evidently having trouble finding her. She tried to surface, but something was holding her back.  
  
Sun looked down to see that her ankles were tangled in seaweed.  
  
Sun struggled to get loose but the more she tried, the more she got tangled. And then she began to take in pond water. A strange euphoria started to come over her...  
  
Zhao Yun gave up on trying to find her near the edges and was about to give up until he saw her body stuck vertically.  
  
He swam over and saw what the problem was. Her legs were caught in the seaweed. He grabbed his dagger and sliced through the kelp.  
  
When Zhao Yun carried her up to the surface and placed her on land, he tilted her head back and began to breathe air into her.  
  
Moments later, Sun started coughing up pond water.  
  
"Are you okay?" he asked.  
  
Sun ran off into the woods again, but this time, Zhao Yun did not try to stop her. He stared, noticing that she never looked back. 


	8. Preparations

Pursuit  
By Yukira  
Chapter 8  
  
Disclaimer: The characters aren't mine, but I created Shen Yi as part of Zhuge Liang's antagonist force. It doesn't really count, though...  
  
Author's Notes: This is the second last chapter!  
  
*~~~~*~~~~*  
  
Zilong, his wedding apparel drenched with pond water, took a long walk back to the Shu's main camp, where everyone would be awaiting him.  
  
Reluctantly walking back to his previous location, he happily discovered that the carriage wasn't there, as well as Shen Yi.  
  
How he hated Shen Yi right now. She was the one that spread the rumor, and it indeed spread quickly. Worst, it seem that he had to marry her.  
  
"I guess," he thought, "It won't be that bad...no, it will!"  
  
By the time he got to the main camp, he wasn't wet anymore, but worse, Zhuge Liang was awaiting him.  
  
"Damn, this has to be a bad thing..."  
  
Zhuge Liang motioned for Zhao Yun to come forward. He obeyed, and Zhuge began to scold him.  
  
"How dare you leave Lady Shen Yi in the carriage and run off!"  
  
"But I saw--" Zilong paused, then knew that either way, the guy wouldn't care. "I'm sorry. I saw...a...a bear and I thought that...it...um...that the...fur would be a proper...gift for Lady Shen Yi."  
  
"No excuses! Go see Lady Shen in that tent right now!"  
  
Muttering to himself, Zhao replied, "Yeah...whatever..."  
  
Closing his eyes, still muttering, Zilong entered the tent not prepared for the blow he was going to receive.  
  
SLAP!  
  
"I could've been kidnapped and killed by bandits! How dare you leave me!"  
  
"Like I care..."  
  
"I'm telling Lord Zhuge--"  
  
Zhao shot her a look of pure hatred. "Zhuge Liang can't help you forever. One day I will finally be rid of you."  
  
"You wouldn't dare!"  
  
"Oh? I would!"  
  
"No...just...stay away!"  
  
"Pssh. As if I want to stay with you anyway."  
  
With that, Zhao left her tent and entered his own.  
  
The slap that Shen Yi delivered to his face was a weak one. No bruise at all.  
  
"Weak little bitch..."  
  
It was late now. Zhao Yun drifted off to sleep.  
  
*~~~~*~~~~*  
  
Meanwhile, Sun Ruan Er was asleep in her own tent as well. With the Wu army camped in this forest, no one would notice them.  
  
Falling asleep hadn't been so easy for her. She had swallowed something in the lake water, and it kept her awake. Eventually, she drifted off to slumber.  
  
Sun Ce's daughter, Sun Qiao, took an interest in battle and was learning how to wield her deceased mother's fans, but he still wouldn't let her go to battle. Sun Qiao was the only person that resembled her mother, and he didn't want to lose her either.  
  
How little Sun Qiao had begged and begged for days to come to war, and her father had declined every time.  
  
And the Jade Dragon, polished and kept in its sheath, lay next to Sun at all times. She had mastered the sword, and in return, it had helped her through peril.  
  
The necklace that she wore consisted of a jade dragon pendant on a platinum chain. Zhao Yun had a necklace like this, except his pendant was a gold dragon. Both pendants could interlock together.  
  
(Flashback)  
  
Sun Ruan, weak and injured, lay on her bed. Zhao Yun had been watching over her for a few hours. Now was the time to overthrow the infamous bandit leader.  
  
Zhao Yun grabbed his spear and was about to leave until a voice called out behind him.  
  
"Wait...no...let me help you!" she cried.  
  
Zhao Yun leaned his spear against the wall and walked over to examine the girl. The rapist had attacked her with a knife and her wounds were healing.  
  
"No," he replied softly, stroking her hair, "Stay here. I will be back."  
  
"You can't! It's too dangerous! There are--"  
  
"Don't worry. I will be back. I promise."  
  
Zilong left the girl's room at the medical center and began on his way to overthrow the bandit leader.  
  
For at least a decade, a group of bandits had taken over the town and ravaged it. The citizens, once possessing pride and honor, hid in their shabby homes and looked down wherever they went, fearing that the bandits would kill them.  
  
A truly demonic ritual that they held. Every year, one family would be executed in front of the town. Their bodies would be staked and stuck in the ground for display.  
  
Zhao Yun kept advancing to the front of the town, where he stood wide-eyed.  
  
Sun Ruan's family was staked on poles. The executions had already taken place. Sun was lucky to have survived.  
  
This enraged Zilong. He charged into the small palace wielding his spear and to his shock, no one was there.  
  
"What is going on?" he thought.  
  
An arrow shot by him and Zilong turned around.  
  
There stood the group of bandits. The cause for the destruction of the town.  
  
Zhao Yun was outnumbered. There were at least twenty men including the bandit leader, all equipped with arrows and sword.  
  
The group of bandits shut and barricaded the only door. The windows were too small for Zilong to escape.  
  
The only thing he did was advance forward and started to attack.  
  
The battle was tough. The men outnumbered Zilong greatly and they were more skilled than he thought they were.  
  
In less than a minute, Zilong was cornered. They were getting closer and closer...  
  
Sun Ruan crashed into a window and fell to the ground carrying a sword.  
  
"What are you doing here!? You're supposed to be recovering!"  
  
Sun stood up and brushed her hair out of her face. "You needed help."  
  
The bandit leader came forth and landed an attack on Sun. "You were supposed to die with the rest of your puny family!"  
  
Blood flowed freely from her wounded back. Zhao Yun jabbed at the bandit leader with his spear but missed.  
  
Another burden rested with Zilong. Sun was dying right here and the only way out was to kill the bandits.  
  
A fire lit in Zilong's eyes. Now he had inspiration to fight.  
  
Holding his spear in a horizontal position, he charged, knocking and killing men. He did not notice the bandit leader striking behind him.  
  
Out of breath, Zilong rose and charged, wildly brandishing his spear, killing the leader in one blow.  
  
Bandits dispatched, Zhao ran over, picked up Sun and headed for the healing center. As she was healed, he stayed with her knowing that she would be the wife of his choice.  
  
*~~~~*~~~~*  
  
Sun Ruan woke up after feeling someone tugging on her arm.  
  
It was Lu Xun. His face, usually lit up by boyish charm, was severe and silent.  
  
"What is it?" she asked.  
  
"Sun Jian commands everyone to wake. We are attacking now."  
  
Walking out of her tent, Sun adjusted her eyes to the bright sunlight. Sun Jian as well as the other generals were preparing for battle. Sun changed into a white cheongsam and wore a red cape and hood. She tucked the Jade Dragon on her sash as she usually did.  
  
Sun Jian mounted his horse and everyone followed. Today, Shu was going down.  
  
*~~~~*~~~~*  
  
"Zhuge Liang, I don't see why General Zhao Zilong has to marry Shen Yi."  
  
Liu Bei eyed Zhuge from his seat.  
  
Zhuge Liang closed his eyes, took a deep breath, then further explained. "Shen Yi is an extraordinary woman, Zilong is her counterpart. It is only natural to place them together."  
  
"I'm calling off the wedding! Zhao Yun doesn't even want to marry her! He still loves Sun Ruan--"  
  
"You dare compare Lady Shen Yi to a village girl?"  
  
"Shen Yi is just some piece of trash that washed up here! Her fighting skills are crap!"  
  
"Lord Liu Bei, I'm sure that you will reconsider. The wedding takes place today. That's final."  
  
"I'm still calling it off!"  
  
"I'm afraid you can't do that."  
  
Liu Bei hit the desk with his fists. "And why not?"  
  
"Remember when you signed that document saying that I am in control of half of Shu?"  
  
"But--"  
  
"I still have it. And I will turn Shu against you if you don't comply."  
  
Liu Bei only hung his head in shame.  
  
"You wait here. I will get the couple."  
  
*~~~~*~~~~*  
  
Zhao Yun's dream had been a pleasant one. He was walking with Sun Ruan in a vast meadow filled with flowers.  
  
That was until Zhuge Liang woke him and told him that he would be married to Shen Yi.  
  
How he loathed her right now. Her name was enough to sicken him and her very appearance made him want to curse.  
  
What had really surprised him was the way Liu Bei seemed when Zhuge brought him and Shen Yi into the tent.  
  
Liu Bei hung his head in shame, not noticing they were there.  
  
"It's my fault," thought Liu Bei. "If I hadn't put Shu in control of Zhuge Liang, Zhao Yun wouldn't be in this predicament, damn...my bravest general and this is how I repay him..."  
  
Zhao Yun and Shen Yi were escorted to a carriage. They were to be married at a temple in the town of Changshan.  
  
And as the two walked into the temple, Zilong noticed Jiang Wei and Ma Chao frowning sympathetically. Zilong turned to them and nodded, they did so as well.  
  
The elderly man clad in silk robes lit incense and placed it into a vase. This was the first wedding ritual. There were several more to be done, then the final vow.  
  
*~~~~*~~~~*  
  
Sun Ruan rode alongside Lu Xun. They were heading for the main camp, passing though Changshan. Sun noticed a group of carriages and horses outside an enclosed temple. She nudged Lu Xun.  
  
"Look, there seems to be..."  
  
"...a wedding."  
  
Sun Jian noticed this but they continued for the main camp.  
  
*~~~~*~~~~*  
  
The end of chapter 8! Left you on a cliffhanger, but this chapter didn't have much significance...  
  
Reviews please! 


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